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Kitchen design: New modern country

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Kitchen design: New modern country

Photo: Tracey Ayton

Kitchen

Kitchen design: New modern country

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When Mary and Thomas Touhey traded city living for Vancouver Island oceanfront, they had the guidance of their designer daughter, Jessica Touhey. "The house was a time capsule from the 1980s," says Jessica. But its location and contemporary architecture sold them, and Jessica spearheaded the inevitable kitchen renovation.

Flip through the slideshow to find out how she made it all happen.

 

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Kitchen design: New modern country

What were the main challenges with the original kitchen?

The kitchen was small, severly outdated and completely enclosed. We took out as many walls as possible to create an open-concept kitchen and dining and living space with views that could be enjoyed from anywhere.

Image by: Style at Home By: Jennifer Hughes Source: Tracey Ayton

Kitchen design: New modern country

What was your overall vision for the space?

We wanted a modern look with a focus on West Coast materials so the kitchen would blend into the natural surroundings.

Image by: Style at Home By: Jennifer Hughes Source: Tracey Ayton

Kitchen design: New modern country

Where did you save and where did you splurge?

The porcelain tile backpslash looks like marble but costs a fraction of the price of a stone slab. We also found interesting lighting from a local supplier that was reasonably priced. One splurge was the waterfall countertops, which basically doubled our material costs but were so worth it for the overall look.

Image by: Style at Home By: Jennifer Hughes Source: Tracey Ayton

Kitchen design: New modern country

Explain the design decisions behind the island.

To provide tons of space for eating and prep, we went with a substantial-sized kitchen island. We broke up the large expanse of white quartz with a fir accent strip, which delineates the two areas and adds warmth and interet.

Image by: Style at Home By: Jennifer Hughes Source: Tracey Ayton

Kitchen design: New modern country

What's the one investment piece you couldn't do without?

We invested in a pair of under-counter fridge drawers, rather than a full-sized model, in the main kitchen to maintain undisrupted views of the outdoors. We then placed a large fridge and freezer in a pantry area just outside the kitchen.

Image by: Style at Home By: Jennifer Hughes Source: Tracey Ayton

Kitchen design: New modern country

Cabinetry decisions

The only upper cabinetry incorporated into the design was two unobtrusive white cabinets flanking the window above the sink, with floating fir shelves below. The small cabinets are less visually distacting and are ideal for concealing basic every day items.

Image by: Style at Home By: Jennifer Hughes Source: Tracey Ayton

 

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Kitchen design: New modern country

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